


Just a Girl, Standing in front of a Boy

by StudioFortyTwo



Category: Learners (2007), Secret Diary of a Call Girl (TV)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Teninch Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 07:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3281261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StudioFortyTwo/pseuds/StudioFortyTwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fic for RexAlexander: Chris from Learners and Belle/Hannah. Chris' friends hire her for him as a surprise - Rex</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Girl, Standing in front of a Boy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Beta'd by the ever lovely MoltoBeneBananas, thank your dear.
> 
> Title borrowed from Knotting Hill ;-)

Hannah went through her normal routine, prepared herself and smiled into the mirror at Belle. Tonight’s client was a bit different, only because she was a present for him. A present from friends, not from himself as was usually the case. This wasn’t something she was typically willing to do, but once she’d heard his story and listened to his friend talk about him she’d decided maybe he needed this as much as his friends were convinced he did.

She kept her curls soft, just waves really. Her makeup was a bit lighter than usual, and she wore a cute summer dress over her simplest cotton Belle intimates. From what she knew, he liked things simple and being as dolled up or sensual as she normally was might make him more nervous than excited. She didn’t want that.

When the buzzer rang she answered and came face to face with the most adorable man she’d ever laid eyes on. And adorable was definitely the right adjective. Her client, Chris, was pulling his inhaler away from his mouth. He could possibly use a new hairstyle or maybe just some product to help it out. His glasses looked like they’d been salvaged from the thrift shop. And his zipped up jacket was much too pristine, it needed a few wrinkles. She smiled brightly at him and spread an arm out in welcome.

“Thank you, Hi. My name is Chris. I just want you to know that I only agreed to this because Jeff said they spent more than a week’s worth of wages. And I didn’t want to offend them.”

She let her smile soften and helped him out of his jacket. “Of course, yeah. No pressure. We can do whatever you want. Watch a movie, talk, cuddle. It’s up to you.”

He turned to face her and she waited for him to scan her, to make his observations and look at her with judgement in his eyes. But that never happened. He just grinned at her, his smile a bit dopey, and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I’m not opposed to talking.”

Belle guided him toward her couch. Careful to keep her hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture. She sat down with a few feet between them and turned so she was angled toward him. He was sitting up straight, hands pressed between his knees.

“How about a drink?” She leaned forward to pour them each a glass of champagne. When he didn’t protest she was a bit surprised and smiled to herself before handing him one of the glasses.

Chris took the glass from Belle and sipped at it cautiously. He wasn’t really one to drink, but hoped that a bit of alcohol might help calm his nerves a bit. His friends had paid for the evening, so he was going to be here for a few hours. Might as well try to enjoy himself.

He honestly hadn’t expected her to be so beautiful. For some reason he had imagined an overly made up and almost scary sort of woman. But Belle seemed soft and gentle and he wasn’t sure how to take that.

They sipped at their drinks in silence, him looking around the room and her watching him. He reached the bottom of his glass much sooner than he’d expected and sat it on the table in front of them. With nothing in his hands he felt out of place again and drummed his fingers on his thighs.

“How about some music?” Belle picked up a remote and hit a few buttons before the sounds came through the speakers scattered about the room. It was soft and low and Chris didn’t recognize the song, but the melody was nice. He let himself lean back into the sofa and relax just a bit.

Belle leaned her shoulder into the back of the sofa and watched as he tapped out the beat of the song on his thighs. Music was a good choice. The muscles in his face were starting to relax a bit too, and she hoped that soon he would be completely comfortable with her.

Unable to explain why, Belle was intrigued by her attraction to him. She had dealt with shy clients before, but there was more to him than just being coy. He had a sort of endearing quietness to him. She got the feeling he wasn’t the type to talk just to fill a silence.

"So what is it that you do?" She raised her eyebrow in question.

"Well, I was a driving instructor." He pouted and Belle was drawn to the protruding bottom lip. "Taking a bit of a break at the moment really."

"A break huh? Doing anything fun or exciting while on this break?"

"Not really, no. Though I did go out with friends recently. And we had a great time." He giggled at some unspoken thought and Belle bit her lip.

Her goal then became to hear that giggle again. She told him a few jokes, and some embarrassing stories, and even a personal one involving her sister’s kid. Soon they were exchanging funny stories and talking like old friends. Belle realized she hadn’t had such a lovely time with someone in months.

Things quieted back down eventually and she didn’t like where her thoughts were suddenly straying. So, she leaned over and danced her fingers across his belly to tickle him. He let out another of those adorable giggles but she was surprised by the hardness of his stomach to properly celebrate. She hadn’t expected him to be fit. He was a bit skinny, that was obvious, even in his oversized jeans and baggy shirt. But skinny doesn’t mean fit.

Chris fought against her hands, batting them away. It was nice to just hang out. When she’d said they could just talk, he expected sooner or later she’d attempt to get him into bed. Now he was quite sure she wouldn’t even suggest such a thing. They were getting along very nicely, and he hoped it wasn’t just because she was paid to enjoy herself. She seemed genuinely happy, her smiles sincere. Maybe she was enjoying a change of pace. Must be nice to get paid to just spend time with someone. Even if that someone were him.

When he looked back at her she was chewing her lip and staring at his hair. He frowned. Women always made comments about his hairstyle, but he really didn’t know what else to do with it.

Belle needed to distract herself from the urge to strip off his shirt and see just how fit he was underneath. So she focused on something else, his chestnut hair. She had an idea, and something told her he would be up for this.

"What if we play a game? Sort of a little role play?" His eyes widened and she laughed. "Well, I’ll be role playing, as a hairdresser. And you’ll just be yourself, my client. I don’t want to actually cut your hair or anything, just play with it some?"

He nodded, unsure of exactly what he was agreeing to. What if she put fake color in it, or twisted little sections into spikes or something else completely ridiculous? Although it wasn’t as if he was doing anything later that night. And he did love the feel of someone playing with his hair. This could be relaxing, like a spa trip.

She led him back a hallway and into the ensuite. It was a large room, and she motioned for him to sit on a small white stool in front of her dressing table. He stared at his own reflection and Belle behind him. What a contrasting image they made. He frowned and slid off his glasses, folding them before slipping them into his trouser pocket.

Belle pulled some products out from under her sink and sat them on the table. Then she grabbed a cloth and wet it with warm water before ruffling his hair with it. With his hair in disarray and now a bit damp, she actually thought it already looked much better. He was looking a bit pretty on top of adorable. She squirted some goo into her palm and worked it into his hair gently, pulling it back from his face. He looked a bit concerned and she smiled brightly at him for encouragement.

Chris tried to relax, and her fingers in his hair certainly weren’t hurting. Every so often her nails would lightly scrape across his scalp and he started reciting rules from the drivers manual to keep any physical excitement in check. He giggled to himself at the absurdity of the situation. He was with a high class escort and trying to not embarrass himself by tenting his trousers.

"Oi, it’s not that bad!" Belle paused staring at him in the mirror, her tongue poked out between her teeth as she smiled. He swallowed down the giggles and nodded. His hair was actually looking rather nice. She had styled his hair in a way similar to many models he saw on billboards.

"You’re actually quite good at that." He grinned up at her in the mirror and enjoyed the look of pride that settled over her features.

"Ta. I think I just know what I like." She winked at him and took a step back, allowing him room to stand up. But even as she said it she was kind of missing his simple style. Sure the new hair gave him a sort of sexy appeal, but she found his own style to be endearing. Not to mention that without the product his hair had been so soft to touch, and now if she messed with it she’d ruin her work. "I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer for food, so I didn’t plan anything specific."

He pulled his gaze away from himself and smiled at her. The new look made him feel a bit more confident, not so much like himself. Maybe he could pretend a bit as well? Pretend to be the kind of man a beautiful woman like Belle would be attracted to on the street? He straightened his shoulders and leveled his chin.

"I’m not a picky eater. Eat a lot of chips myself."

"Oh, chips are lovely! Are you hungry now? I can call in an order." She left the ensuite and he followed, letting himself really take her in for the first time.

Her dress was simple, but fit her curves perfectly. It wasn’t tight in the slightest, it just barely hugged her hips and drew his attention directly to her bum. She glanced over her shoulder and he met her eyes, unable to remove the smirk on his lips.

Belle pressed her lips together in an attempt to suppress her smile. He’d been checking out her arse. Something about catching him sent flutters through her, like seeing a crush in school. The new hair style seemed to have upped his confidence a bit.

After she’d placed the order for some food, the pair returned to the sofa and settled in, this time close enough their thighs were touching.

"So, just out of pure curiosity, how does this usually work?" Chris had angled his body so he had one forearm against the back cushions and he was mostly facing her.

Belle met his eyes and felt her cheeks start to heat up. She’d mostly forgotten he was actually a client. They’d established such a relaxed and familiar environment she had just been enjoying his company.

"Well, it often begins the same way our evening did. I open the door, welcome you in. There’s an exchange of consideration-"

"You mean payment? Cash."

She nodded before continuing, “Then you take a nice shower and I get comfortable while I wait.”

He stared at her expectantly and she had to look away. Surely she had answered his question fully. The rest of what happened depended greatly on the client.

"Right. So then it’s just shagging after the shower."

"No, it’s not ‘just shagging.’ It’s more of an experience." She paused, wondering why she felt the need to explain why her career was important to her. "I learn what it is that the client needs, and I try to fulfill that for them. There are many different reasons my clients come to me, and most are not so straight forward as just a good lay."

He made a noise of understanding and seemed to think this over. “So you customize the experience?”

She felt a wave of relief at his use of her word. “Yes.”

"And how, since this was the first time you’d met me, would you have personalized my experience?"

She chewed her lip. This conversation was out of control, and yet she found herself wanting to answer his questions. “From the information I was given ahead of time, I chose this dress specifically for you. I applied less makeup than I usually would, and left my hair more natural instead of styling it into tighter curls.”

His eyebrow rose at the realization his experience had been more customized than he’d expected. He cleared his throat slightly. “And how about after my shower? What sort of customization would you have applied then?”

Belle wondered what his intentions were. As innocent as he seemed to be, she wondered how excited he was to be talking about these things. This subject was considered taboo in society. Talking about sex in general, but the fact that their discussion was aimed at her profession as well added a whole new level.

She thought about his question for a moment before answering, noticing how he started to fidget with the seam of his trousers’ leg. “I may have played a bit coy. Let you feel a bit in control of the situation. Maybe started out with a slow dance or a shoulder massage?”

He smiled, his eyes unfocused as he imagined this scenario. “I think I’d have preferred the dancing.”

Belle narrowed her eyes in thought, then picked up the remote to put on a song. Standing, she proffered her hand and he took it, letting her lead him around the table to the open space. With her hands around his neck and his sitting on her waist, they started to sway.

Chris smiled as the first verse floated around the room, the Carpenters serenading them with lyrics about reminiscing and remembering. Karen’s voice soothed him and he let his hands slide further around to Belle’s back inadvertently pulling her closer. She just laid her head on his chest and he smiled. He certainly hadn’t expected her to choose Yesterday Once More as the song for them to dance to. But he knew now that she really must be spectacular at her profession.

As the song was ending, he lowered his lips to the top of her head and gently placed a kiss there. He really didn’t want to let her go now. Even knowing in the back of his head that this was just her way of loosening him up as a client, he felt light and free. He wanted to rebel against her ability to raise his internal temperature, to step away from her and laugh. To tell her how that never would have worked on him. But that would be a lie.

If she were just some lovely woman he’d met and found himself in the company of, he’d be falling over her already. And if he were honest with himself, he wasn’t sure he hadn’t fallen for Belle. But that wasn’t what this was. She was playing a role. And yet, he wasn’t sure he really cared anymore.

Belle tilted her head up after feeling his light kiss against her hair. Such a gentleman, and such warm and strong arms. He was gazing down at her and she had forgotten for a moment that he was the client and this was how things would typically work. Making him comfortable and giving him the surroundings and situation he needed to relax.

He leaned down, closing the distance between them, but Belle turned her head at the last second and his lips pressed against her cheek. He sighed and his hands slid away from her. She immediately felt her stomach drop. What was she doing? If this was what he wanted, then this is what he would get. It’s what she’d been paid for. She moved her hands, still up over his shoulders, into his hair and pulled him to her.

The loud buzzing sound made him jump, releasing her completely. Panic, like you feel as a child when you get caught doing something you knew was wrong, swept through him. Belle hurried to the door to let up the delivery guy and paid him as she accepted the bag.

She was silent as she headed toward the kitchen, and he followed, pulling his glasses back out of his pocket. As she sat out the containers, he slid onto a stool and waited. Neither of them said much of anything as they ate. He smiled as she seemed to cram in chip after chip without a break. When she raised her eyes up to meet his, he looked back to his food.

He had been ready to jump, to take a leap and let her catch him. But the moment had passed and it all felt a bit odd again. The more he thought about it, it was actually more uncomfortable now. They had built a rapport and now that was gone, stolen by his idiotic move to kiss her. What had he been thinking?

Shoving the last of her chips in her mouth, Belle cleared her area away and stood staring into her refrigerator looking for something to wash down the salt and vinegar in her mouth. She used the moment to attempt clearing her head as well. Things were tense, and it was her priority to fix it. She just had to figure out how.

Chris watched her hover at the fridge, and couldn’t keep himself from taking in her form again. With his glasses back on, the view was eternally better and he frowned deeply. This was not a woman who would look twice at him in any set of normal circumstances. He reminded himself of the current circumstances and ran a hand through his hair. He had forgotten that she had styled it, and now it probably looked ridiculous. He rolled his eyes at himself and stood up, throwing away his tray and mumbling something about using the toilet.

Belle looked up at him over the door she was still holding open and felt her jaw drop. Something had happened to his hair, likely an errant hand, and it was all mussed now. With the hair and his glasses back on and the grease making his pouty bottom lip glisten she had to make a conscious effort to close her mouth.

He was already walking away, his back to her when she finally closed the fridge door, drink forgotten. She leaned against the stainless steel appliance and sighed. He was just the sort of man that she needed, that would make her happy and care about her and take care of her. Just the sort of man she could never have.

When Chris emerged from the toilet, Belle was back on the couch, her television turned on. He settled onto the sofa, further away than the last time, and waited. He wanted things to go back to how they’d been all evening, before he’d forgotten who he really was. Who she really was.

“Thought we’d watch a movie. Maybe a comedy?” She was staring at the telly and not looking at him, so he dropped his own eyes to his lap.

“Sure.”

Belle glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and frowned. She needed to fix this. She scrolled through the movies in the On Demand section and smiled as she chose one.

By the time Anna tells Will she will go to his sister’s birthday as his date, both Chris and Belle are giggling softly. Notting Hill had always been one of Belle’s favorites, and hearing Chris’s amused giggles just made her love it that much more. By the time the movie ended it was close to midnight and the end of their evening. She dreaded each passing moment, wishing she could curl into his side and rest her head on his shoulder while the credits played.

Chris cleared his throat, seeing the time and knowing he was supposed to be making his exit. He rubbed his hands over his thighs a few times before standing up and stretching. Belle stood as well, staring at him for a split second before moving toward the door. He followed, snatching his jacket from the hall and walking through the already opened doorway. As he stepped past the threshold a hand wrapped around his arm and stopped him. He turned back to face the beautiful blonde looking up at him through her long dark lashes. He let out a sigh and waited.

“I really enjoyed our time together. And I know that you won’t be back, but I just wanted you to know that I’d love it if I could see you again.” She chewed at her lip and waited for him to either respond or walk away.

Chris just stared at her torn between thinking she was sincere or that she was simply hoping for returning business. When she shifted closer he felt his brows draw together a touch confused until she moved up on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his. He was frozen in place, not moving, not breathing, not thinking. But as she started to pull away his arms flew around her shoulders to hold her close as he pressed back against her. He felt her lips move, the tip of her tongue softly slipping between his lips and he opened up to her.

When they separated, Belle lowered herself back down to flat feet aware of the warmth rising in her cheeks. It felt more like the end of a date than an evening with a client. He licked his lips, and she noticed his eyes were half closed still. When he came back to himself, he smiled at her a bit lopsided before before saying ‘Good night’ softly and walking away.

She closed her door and sank against it wondering what had gotten into her.


End file.
